The Devil In Joyce Carol Oates Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?
Some say he is the devil, others claim he portrays the godly image of Bob Dylan, or that he is just the mere imagination of a salacious daydream in a young girl's mind. In Joyce Carol Oates acclaimed short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, a 15-year-old girl named Connie, with ever growing feelings of attraction toward the opposite sex, has a vexing encounter with a middle-aged man who goes by the name Arnold Friend. You can’t talk about Arnold Friend, his train of thought, and intentions without talking about and understanding Connie’s character. In the story, Connie is vain, self-centered, and fabricates the truth of her whereabouts to her parents. She and her friend both tell their parents that they are going to the mall
but instead, seek across the highway to a diner and fraternize with guys who are usually a few years older. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, Arnold Friend is first introduced when he is sitting in his car outside of the diner. He first pinpoints Connie when she is walking out of the diner with a guy named Eddie. He stares at Connie and when she notices him, she quickly averts her eyes. Curiously, Connie glances back to Arnold, who then moves his finger from side to side and says "Gonna get you, baby," (207). Connie quickly looks away and tries to push the ghoulish experience out of her mind. Later in the story, he shows up at Connie's house and allegedly kidnaps and rapes her. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, we can see the tactics Arnold Friend uses, his train of thought, and the purpose he serves in the story.
but instead, seek across the highway to a diner and fraternize with guys who are usually a few years older. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, Arnold Friend is first introduced when he is sitting in his car outside of the diner. He first pinpoints Connie when she is walking out of the diner with a guy named Eddie. He stares at Connie and when she notices him, she quickly averts her eyes. Curiously, Connie glances back to Arnold, who then moves his finger from side to side and says "Gonna get you, baby," (207). Connie quickly looks away and tries to push the ghoulish experience out of her mind. Later in the story, he shows up at Connie's house and allegedly kidnaps and rapes her. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, we can see the tactics Arnold Friend uses, his train of thought, and the purpose he serves in the story.